Press Releases
MEP SAYS: “SICK AND TIRED OF UNSOLICITED DIRECT MARKETING CALLS? THEN STOP THEM! 10TH November 2009 Many of us in the North East are plagued by recorded telephone messages and unwanted telephone calls from businesses trying to sell double-glazing, new kitchens and everything else under the sun (or in our case, cloudy skies!). Stephen Hughes, Labour MEP for the North East region has raised the matter of unsolicited direct marketing calls from inside and outside the EU with Commissioner Viviane Reding (responsible for the Information Society and Media at European Union level). The Commissioner stated in her reply to Mr. Hughes:-- “Article 13 of the EU Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications provides for a ban on spam, i.e. unsolicited messages for the purpose of direct marketing by email, fax, SMS, etc. are only allowed to users who have given their prior consent to receive such messages to the users. For all other ways of commercial communication, e.g. in the case of person-to-person vice calls, Member States may choose either to maintain a system giving the possibility to users or subscribers to indicate that they do not want to receive such calls (opt-out) or only allow such calls to subscribers and users who have given their prior consent.” The UK has chosen the opt-out solution. If you want to stop those unwanted calls, you must register with the Telephone Preference System (TPS). You can contact the TPS at: Telephone Preference Service (TPS) DMA House 70 Margaret Street London W1W 8SS TPS Registration line - 0845 070 0707 Tel 020 7291 3320 Fax 020 7323 4226 Email tps@dma.org.uk Web www.tpsonline.org.uk Or you can register on-line. Once you have registered, if you receive any unwanted calls, you can then complain to the Information Commissioner at: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. Speaking today, Stephen Hughes said:-- “I for one am sick and tired of receiving unsolicited sales calls at home. I worked long and hard for EU legislation that would put an end to this bothersome practice. As the UK went for the “opt-out”, we in the North East must register to stop the calls. I’ve done it and I encourage all of you who feels as I do to register to stop the spam today.” ENDS